The Hunters (Presidential Agent 3)

“So the commander in chief backed off, except to phone General Naylor, and order him the moment he learned that the slowly grinding wheels of the Army promotion system had finally ground out that it was time to promote Major Castillo to let me know immediately. Which he did the day before yesterday.”

He turned to Castillo, shook his right hand, and put his left on Castillo’s shoulder.

“So you, Colonel Castillo, are going to have to be satisfied with better late than never. Congratulations, Charley.”

“Thank you, sir.”

There was polite laughter, applause, and another round of handshaking.

“Over the objections of the secretary of state, who fears that after one drink I will give the country away to our guests tonight, we will now toast Colonel Castillo’s new rank,” the President said.

A white-jacketed steward appeared with a tray of champagne glasses and distributed them.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the President said, his glass raised, “Lieutenant Colonel C. G. Castillo.”

The President had just put his glass to his lips when a steward motioned that he had a telephone call.

“Natalie and I have been expecting that,” the President said. “Will you excuse us, please?”

He and the secretary of state left the room.

General Naylor walked up to Charley.

“Thank you for the shoulder boards, sir,” Charley said.

“My pleasure, Colonel,” Naylor said. “And if you have no further need for your old ones, Allan’s on the major’s list.”

“I’d be honored to have Allan wear them, sir.”

Ambassador Montvale joined them. He laid an almost paternal hand on Castillo’s shoulder.

“I think you were genuinely surprised by this, weren’t you, Colonel? I agree with the President that it’s overdue.”

An alarm bell went off in Castillo’s mind:

Why is this sonofabitch charming me?

Because the President made that little speech? Set up this ceremony in the first place?

No. He wants something. What?

He doesn’t want me complaining about his goddamned liaison officer. That’s what it is. He knows that right now, the President is in a mood to give me just about anything I ask for.

If I don’t bite the bullet now about that—and doing so now would ruin this “we’re all pals” ambiance—by the time I get back, and God only knows when that will be—I’ll permanently be stuck with Mr. Truman Ellsworth.

“General Naylor told me a long time ago that waiting for a promotion is like watching a glacier,” Castillo said. “For a long time, absolutely nothing—and then all of a sudden a great big splash.”

Montvale and Naylor chuckled.

What’s that line from Basic Tactics 101?

The best defense is a good offense.

“Mr. Ambassador,” Charley said, “I’d like a few minutes of your time, if that would be possible.”

Naylor’s surprise was evident on his face.

“Certainly,” Montvale said. “Sometime tomorrow afternoon?”